Rheostat



April 6 1926.

F. H. BULLlNGER RHEosTAT A Original Filed Jur'le 28, 1924 Patented Apr. 6, 1.926.

UNITED STATES ERM orner.

FREDERIC II-I. BULLINGEB, OF YONKERS, NE'W YORK, ASSIGNOR TO LULA `2li/I.

i PUBVIANCE, F LQS ANGELES, 'CALFGBNA.

RHEOSTAT.

Application .filed June 28, 1324, SeralNo. 722,962.

To all Azr/10m il: .may concern Be it known that I. `Fiuionnio H. `BUL- LiNorn, a citizen. of :the United States, residing at Yonkers, in the county of lillestchester and the tltate oi New York. .have invented a certain new and useful improvement in l'lheostats, of which the following is a zfull,

clear, concise, and exact description.

My invention relates `to rheostats and resides in a construction 4rendering it especially useful in automobile equipment, the rheostat of my `invention being adapted for assembly adjacent or on `the steering hand wheel. The `rheostatof lmy invention is, however, not to be limited to any particular use. My rheostat includes a hollow casing, two bearings, one lat each endof the casing, a shaft mounted to turn insaid bearings, a sectional resistance carried by and turning with saidshaft and disposed between said bearings, a switch block between said bearings and also carried by said shaftadjacent one of said bearings` a row of contacts that are connected with diiforent sections ofthe resistance and adjacent one of said bearings, a stationary contacting element `engageable with said contacts, and a handle connected with-the shaft at the other end of the casing and upon theexterior thereof.

The invention will be more fully explained in connection with l'the accompanying drawing illustratingY the preferred embodiment thereof and one` of its uses. ln the drawing, Fig. 1 shows the rheostat of my invention assembled with the steering column of anl automobile, this ligure also illustrating the head lamps of an automobile in whose circuit the rheostat is included to control the brilliance of the illumination furnished by these lamps; Fig. 2 is a view illustrating the casing and a portion of the mounting for the casing in section, the rheostat itself being shown in elevation; Fig.4 3 is a. sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4t is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, the resistance sections being diagrammatically indicated; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

The rheostat is contained within a hollow` cludes caps 3, 4,- which are assembled with Renewed December 23, 1925.

the body of the casing by means of the screws 5. A. bearing' G is secured to-the outer end of the cap 3, this bearing having an annular vrecess T which receives the cap end. Another bearing 8, lpreferably of insu'ation, is secured to the cap 4 by means of the screws k9. The bearingsv are thus at opposite ends of the casing. The conductors .10V and 11 v.pass into the casing cap 4f and are fastened to the outer flat face of the bearing S by neans of bolts 12 and 13 which pass through the bearing block 8. The stationary spring contact arms 14T. and 15 are clamped, each at one end, against the ,inner flat face ofthe bearing` 8. tween the switch arms 141 and 15 and is mounted to turn in the bearings Gand 8. rlhis shaft car 1ies the sectional resistance 17, which may he of any suitable form, resistance wire being illustrated as anexample. A switch block 18, also preferably ,of illus tration, carries an arcuate row of contacts 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 which face the bearing 8 and the .switch arms 1.4-, 15, the contacts 19 and being connected with the extreme p ends of the resistance as a whole and the contacts 20, 21, 22 being connected with terminals of sections of the resistance as diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 4l. The contactQS iselongated sufliciently to be constantly engaged by the switch arm 15. The Contact 141 is successively engageable with the contacts. A. handle 24 is connected with the shaft 16 adjacent the bearing 6 and upon the exterior of the hollow casing.

In operation the entire resistance unit together with the switch contacts that are connected with its terminals and with the different sections of the resistance, as hereto set forth, are rotated to move the contacts successively into engagement with the stationary switch arm 11i while contact 23 is in engagement with the switch arm 15. The rheostat of my construction may be readily formed in separate parts which are capable of easy assembly and the wiring is much simplified as compared with other rheostats capable of like use.

I claim 1. The combination with a hollow casing having a. removable cap at one end; of a bea-ring within the casing at the other end thereof; a shaft surrounded by the casing and having one end journaled in said bearing and, its other end journaled in said cap;

A shaft 16 ,passes be- Cil a handle upon the exterioi of the casing and connected with the latter' end of the shaft; a sectional resistance within the casing and disposed between said bearing and handle, said resistance heilig carried by and turning with the shaft; a contact carrier disposed between said sectional resistance and bearing, this carrier being supported by and turning with the shaft; a row of contacts upon the carrier` and individually connected with the different resistance sections, these contacts having contacting ends facing said bearing; and switch arms carried by the bearing and having engagement with said contacts successively as the handle is turned.

2. The con'ibination with a hollow casing` having a removable cap at one end; of a bearing within the casing` at the other end thereof; a shaft surrounded by the casingand having` one end journaled in said bean ing and its other end journaled in said cap: a handle upon the exterior of the casing and connected with the latter end of the shaft; a sectional resistance within the casing and disposed between said bearing and handle, said resistance being carried by and turning` with the shaft; a contact carrier disposed between said sectional resistance and bearing, this carrier being supported by and turning with the shaft; a row of contacts upon the carrier and individually connected with the different resistance sections, these contacts having contacting ends facing said bearing; and a contacting structure carried by the bearing and having engagement with said contacts successively as the handle is turned.

3. The combination with a hollow casing having a removable cap at one end; of a bearing within the casing at the other end thereof; a shaft surrounded by the casing and having one end journaled in said bearing and its other end journaled in said cap, a handle upon the exterior 'of the casing and connected with the latter end of the shaft; a sectional resistance within the casing and disposed between said bearing and handle, said resistance being carried by and turning with the shaft; a contact carrier disposed between said handle and bearing, this car rier being supported by and turning with the shaft; a row of contacts upon the carrier and individually connected with the different resistance sections, these contacts having contacting ends facing said bearing; and switch arms carried by the bearing and having engagement with said contacts successively as the handle is turned.

4. The combination with a hollow casing having a removable. cap at one end; of a bearing within the casing at the other end thereof; a shaft surrounded by the casing and having one end journaled in said bearing and its other end jonrnaled in said cap; a handle upon the exterior of the casing and connected with the latter end of the shaft; a sectional resistance within the casing and disposed between said bearing and handle, said resistance being carried by and turning with the shaft; a Contact carrier disposed between said handle and bearing, this carrier being supported by and turning with the shaft; a row of contacts upon the carrier and individually connected with the different resistance sections, the-se contacts having` contacting ends facing said bearing; and a contacting structure carried by the bearing and having engagement with said contacts successively as the handle is turned.

ln witness whereof, hereunto subscribe my name.

riannnnrc n. nULLrNenn. 

